Sitting here looking back at 2016, I can proudly and thankfully say that it was such an amazing year for our family. I am so grateful for all the things our family was blessed with this year, as well as all the places we visited and the people we met.
At the beginning of the year, our family had no major plans set in stone. But as the months went by, so many things unfolded, and we are thankful for each and every one of them.
Looking back now, 2016 was also one of those years that really showed me how much children can learn simply by seeing the world. We traveled around the United States and visited Canada, Costa Rica, France, Spain, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Mexico, often with a very young Aiden right there with us.
If you’re just beginning to travel abroad as a family, my ultimate guide to traveling internationally with kids covers many of the lessons we’ve learned since these early trips.
This post is going to be long, so grab a glass of wine, coffee, juice, and some popcorn, and be my guest!
January
Florida
We started off the New Year in the warmth of Florida. I absolutely hate the cold, and even though California doesn’t get as cold as other states, I love to find every reason to travel somewhere warmer.
We spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2016 in Sarasota and then drove to Fort Myers, where we spent a few more days before flying back home.
On New Year’s Eve, we went to the Sarasota Pineapple Drop downtown. We wanted to do something family-friendly, and this was perfect. It felt just like a fair. There were bands playing, lots to eat, games, rides, and plenty of family fun.
Before midnight, everyone counts down to the New Year as a huge colorful pineapple drops. If you ever find yourself in Sarasota on New Year’s Eve with your family, put this on your list.
We spent New Year’s Day with a friend of mine, Ashleah, and her family. I joined a “mommy group” on Facebook when I found out I was pregnant with Aiden, and that’s where I met her.
This was our first time meeting in person, and our families had a great time together.
Off to Snake Island.
Aiden & McKinley.
Our last few days were spent at a beachfront resort in Fort Myers. The view from our hotel room balcony was just amazing.
Florida is still one of my favorite states to visit. Good food, good weather. You really can’t beat that.
Ells Turns 16
The day after Ells turned 16, she hurried me to the DMV so she could get her permit.
She’s grown so much.
February
Florida and Our First Disney Cruise
February is Aiden’s birthday month, and we usually take a trip every year for his birthday.
This year, his birthday trip wasn’t planned until a few weeks before we left. Let me tell you how random my trip planning can be.
I was browsing Facebook, as always, and stumbled across someone’s status. It said something like, “Can’t wait to take the kids on their first Disney Cruise next year. Deposits have already been made.”
If I told you I had never considered a Disney Cruise before reading that post, you’d probably think I was lying.
Aiden wasn’t into Disney characters at the time, so it had honestly never occurred to me. After reading the post, I went onto the Disney website and booked a four-day Disney Cruise to the Bahamas for our family.
That spontaneous decision ended up becoming the beginning of many more Disney experiences for our family. If you’re trying to understand the different ships and itineraries, I later put together a guide on how to choose a Disney Cruise based on what we learned from cruising with Disney.
We flew into Orlando and visited Universal Studios Orlando before driving to the port and sailing off to the Bahamas.
Aiden Turns 3
After our Florida and Disney trip, we celebrated Aiden’s birthday at home with a few of his friends and all his cousins.
He couldn’t decide which theme he wanted, so he ended up having three themes and three cakes.
He was turning three, so I said, why not?
Ontario, Canada
We also took a trip to Toronto in February.
It was cold, but super fun. We visited family and met another friend from my mommy group, Rebecca. We also went to Niagara Falls, which was absolutely beautiful.
I love meeting my mommy friends because our kids are around the same age. It’s such a great feeling to finally meet someone you’ve been friends with online for years and then watch the kids play together too.
March
We didn’t do any traveling this month, but I am thankful to say that we closed escrow on our new home.
It was quite a change from where we lived before, but we were adjusting and making the best of it.
Lesson learned: movers are an absolute MUST!
April
We decided, why not, and sold our soul… I mean, got a pool.
We picked the worst contractors ever. It was such a nightmare dealing with them, and what should have taken weeks ended up taking months.
It was also a busy month of unpacking.
By the way, unpacking is no fun. That might be the most exhausting part of moving. You’re constantly trying to figure out where things that had a perfect place in your old home should go in your new one.
May
New Orleans, Louisiana
Aiden and I traveled to New Orleans and spent Mother’s Day together.
We had such an amazing mommy-and-son trip. We visited Audubon Zoo, spent time in the French Quarter, and, of course, wore matching tops. It was Mother’s Day after all.
New Orleans eventually became one of our favorite U.S. cities, and we have returned several times since this first trip. I’ve shared many more of our favorite family activities in my complete guide to visiting New Orleans with kids.
Utah and Oklahoma
My trips to Salt Lake City and Oklahoma City were both work trips, and Aiden tagged along.
We didn’t do much sightseeing on these trips. Aiden attended a drop-in center while I worked. After work, I picked him up, we had dinner, and he played with some friends.
Travel with kids does not always have to mean a packed vacation itinerary. Sometimes they simply come along for everyday life.
Costa Rica
A friend from my mommy group who is also a blogger, Carolina from Mama Instincts, posted a blog post about Costa Rica.
I asked her a few questions, and apparently that was all the convincing I needed to book a trip there!
We flew to San José and did so many activities during that trip, including zip lining, ATV riding, and horseback riding. Aiden was able to participate in all of them and had a blast.
That little boy is fearless.
Costa Rica became one of those destinations where we realized just how much adventure you can pack into a family vacation. If you’re considering taking your kids, I’ve since put together a much more detailed guide to our favorite things to do in Costa Rica with kids.
June
Aiden Models for Old Navy
Aiden booked his first job with Old Navy this month.
This was exciting for all of us. He had such an amazing time shooting for Old Navy, and seeing him enjoy the experience meant a lot to me.
I shared the entire story, from his callback to seeing his photos inside an Old Navy store, in my post about when Aiden modeled for Old Navy.
His experience also led to so many questions from other parents that I eventually wrote more about finding a reputable model or talent agency for your child.
July
Iowa
We traveled to Des Moines for a very dear friend’s wedding.
I was one of her bridesmaids, so this wedding meant a lot to me.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Aiden had already been to Las Vegas several times because it was only a short drive from Los Angeles.
We walked the Strip in the evening and visited the children’s museum, which at the time was the biggest one I had been to.
Las Vegas gets labeled as an adults-only destination, but we’ve always found plenty to do there as a family. I’ve since shared a much longer list of things to do in Las Vegas with kids, including activities both on and away from the Strip.
August
We went on two trips this month to celebrate our five-year wedding anniversary.
The first was to Texas, and the second took us to Europe.
Houston, Texas
We went to Houston, and it was really hot, so we enjoyed lots of swimming and poolside relaxation.
We also visited the Health Museum.
Paris, France
My husband and I went to Paris for our honeymoon, so it was significant for us to return and take Aiden there.
We went shopping, visited the Eiffel Tower and, of course, went to Disneyland Paris.
It was especially meaningful getting to experience a city that had already been part of our story as a couple, this time as parents.
If Disneyland Paris is part of your own family trip, I later put together a complete guide to spending one day at Disneyland Paris with kids.
Barcelona, Spain
I wanted sand and sun, and Barcelona was the perfect location.
Aiden and I rode jet skis for the first time. We also went parasailing and spent lots of time at the beach.
We visited La Sagrada Família, which was beautiful, and Camp Nou, Barcelona’s famous football stadium.
Barcelona has so much more for families than we managed to fit into that first trip. If you’re planning a visit now, my updated guide to the best things to do in Barcelona with kids goes much deeper into what families can see and do there.
Ells Gets Her License and a Car
After lots of driving practice, including driving me to Las Vegas and back, Ells finally felt confident enough to take her behind-the-wheel test at the DMV.
And excitingly enough, she passed on her first try!
We were so excited for her. Our new errand runner, lol. Little does she know what’s coming.
We also bought her a car. We found one on Craigslist for a decent price, and she was happy with it. Aiden loved it too.
September
Boston, Massachusetts
Aiden went on a trip to Boston with his cousins Ethan and Avery.
My sister-in-law and I were simply their chaperones.
The boys were obsessed with Thomas, so a trip to Thomas Land in Carver was perfect for them. They also went to the Boston Children’s Museum.
October
Portland, Oregon
I love visiting Portland and was excited to take a trip there with my family.
We visited Multnomah Falls, the Portland Children’s Museum, and the Japanese Garden.
We also grabbed donuts at the famous Voodoo Doughnut. Aiden had an M&M donut and loved it.
There are so many outdoorsy things to do around Portland, and the food is amazing.
Denver and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
I found $40 round-trip tickets from LAX to Denver on Frontier Airlines and snagged them immediately.
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. The weather was great, and we rented a convertible.
We visited Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Estes Park, Bear Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park, and the children’s museum.
I later wrote a full guide about spending a weekend in Denver with kids, including what I would do differently when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park with a young child.
November
With all the tension this month due to the elections, we decided to get away from it.
My husband, Aiden, and I traveled to China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, while Ells traveled to Yaoundé, Cameroon, to visit our parents.
It had been seven years since she had been back home, so this was a special trip for her too.
You can watch the video from her Cameroon trip to see more of her experience.
Beijing, China
We had a very long layover in Beijing on our way to Thailand, so we spent the night at a hotel and decided to make the most of our time there.
We drove around downtown Beijing, saw Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, and visited the Great Wall of China.
It was simply amazing.
Riding the toboggan down from the Great Wall was Aiden’s favorite part.
That layover turned into an entire adventure of its own, which is why I later wrote a detailed guide about what to do during a 24-hour layover in Beijing.
It’s still one of my favorite examples of why a long layover doesn’t always have to mean sitting in an airport.
Singapore and Malaysia
We went to Singapore because I found out there was a Thomas Town there.
Aiden was obsessed with Thomas & Friends, so this seemed perfect.
When we got to Singapore, we found out that Thomas Town was actually across the border in Malaysia. So we had to find someone who had the right permit to drive us across.
We eventually made it, and Aiden had such a blast.
In Singapore, we walked around, went to the shops, and rode the hop-on, hop-off bus with the open-top deck, which was one of the easiest ways for us to see the city.
There is so much shopping to do there, and it’s expensive too!
In Malaysia, we went to Thomas Town at Puteri Harbour in Johor Bahru. At the time, there were also attractions connected to Hello Kitty, Bob the Builder, Barney, and LEGOLAND nearby.
Both countries immediately went onto our list of places to visit again because we simply did not have enough time there.
Thailand
Thailand was the highlight of all my trips that year.
I fell in love with it. The people, the food, I mean everything about it.
I usually don’t like traveling to the same place twice because there are so many places in the world to see, but Thailand was different. I knew immediately that I would visit again.
We visited Bangkok and Phuket.
In Bangkok, we went to a floating market, the Children’s Museum, several temples, and the Golden Buddha. Aiden and I even got to hold a snake. Scary stuff!
In Phuket, we relaxed by the beach, got bitten by mosquitoes, and visited the Upside Down House and Trickeye Museum.
Aiden also attended school for a few days while we were there, and he loved it.
That part of the trip became particularly meaningful to me because it showed how easily children can connect with other kids, even when they’re in a completely different country and culture.
I’ve shared much more from that experience in my guide to spending four nights in Phuket with kids. It was also one of the international trips that shaped how we approached traveling and learning with Aiden in the years that followed.
December
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Running away when California gets cold is my specialty.
That’s why it was no surprise that we spent a week in Puerto Vallarta for Christmas.
We rented a beachfront condo from Airbnb with killer views.
This was a relaxing vacation, so we spent lots of time at the beach and in the pool. We also went on a daytime pirate cruise, which Aiden absolutely loved.
Puerto Vallarta ended up becoming another destination we returned to, and I’ve since shared more about visiting Puerto Vallarta with kids, including how we managed another family trip there on a limited budget.
We also hired a photographer while we were there and had our Christmas photos taken.
Aiden Books a Role in a Film
Aiden had auditioned for a role in a film a few months earlier.
This month, we found out that he got the role and would start shooting in January.
His schedule ended up getting moved forward, and he worked on December 30 and 31.
He even got his own honey wagon with his stage name on it.
When we arrived at the location for the shoot, security asked, “Is he one of the actors?”
My son? An actor? WOW. God is good!
We were over the moon excited for him and this new venture. We hoped it would open doors for much more in the future.
Most importantly, he did so well on set and had an amazing time with his movie brothers and sisters. We were all so proud of him.
That experience later became another chapter in his little acting journey, and I shared more about Aiden’s modeling and acting experiences over the years.
Looking Back at Our 2016 Family Travels
Don’t get me wrong. Our family had challenges that year. More than one. Several, actually.
But the positives outweighed the negatives, and I chose to celebrate those positives.
With that being said, 2016 was truly an amazing year for our family.
When I originally wrote this, we were heading into 2017 with no major plans. As far as travel, we had only one trip planned to Argentina, and the reason I booked that one so early was because I found an error fare for $165 round trip.
There was no way I could pass on that!
What stands out to me most looking back is how little of the year had actually been planned in advance. One Facebook post led to our first Disney Cruise. A friend’s Costa Rica post led me to book a flight. A $40 Denver fare became a family weekend in Colorado. And what could have been a boring layover in Beijing became Aiden riding a toboggan down from the Great Wall of China.
Those experiences are a big part of why travel became such an important part of our family life.
And if looking at all these trips makes family travel seem impossible with a young child, I promise we learned most of it simply by doing it. My guide to flying with kids for the first time covers many of the practical lessons that came from years of taking Aiden on trips like these.
